Automatic starter control



April 27, 1937. P. H. MAURER AUTOMATIC STARTER CONTROL 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 27, 1933 [N VENTOR 42(1446 4%. mm

B) z E fer,

.-I TTO/LVEY April 27, 1937. R H ER 2,078,608

AUTOMAT I C STARTER CONTROL Filed Oct. 27, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 /,V VENTOR B 4 M 41/. Mar 2 mV/fy April 27, 1937. P. H. MAURER AUTOMATI C STARTER CONTROL 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct 27, 1953 INVENTOR Patented Apr. 27, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC STARTER CQNTROL Application October 21, 1933, Serial No. seat-2e 8 Claims. (01. zsc-ss) This invention relates to an. automatic starter control and more particularly to a device for automatically actuating a starting mechanism under the control of the operator, for deener- 5 gizing the starting mechanism when the engine starts, and for recranking the engine in case of engine stall. B

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel starter control which is reliable and b efficient, positive in action and simple in construction.

Another object is to provide such a device which is effective to prevent operation of the granting mechanism in case of an engine back- Another object is to provide such a device which is substantially independent of temperature variations or other operating conditions of the engine.

' a A further object is-to provide such a device which is adapted for use in conjunction with engines having positive pressure fuel supply systems, and which utilizes such positive pressure in the controlling operation.

Another object ,is to provide such a device. which includes means for controlling the dissipation of the fuel pressure after the engine stops, to thereby control the time of restarting in case of engine stall.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in this art from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

) Fig.1 is a'partly diagrammatic illustration of an internal combustion engine with a preferred embodiment of thev invention combined therewith, part of the controlling means shown on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 2 isa vertical substantially midsectional View of the novel starter control device shownin Fig. 1, on an enlarged scale;

Fig. .3 is a section taken substantially on the line 3-3' of Fig. 2, on a further enlarged scale; Fig? 4 is a semi-diagrammatic view of asecond embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 5 is a similar view of a third embodiment of the invention,

Referring first to Fig. l of the drawings, there is illustrated an internal combustion engine in dicated generally. by the numeral I having a fuel system including a fuel supply tank 2, a conduit 3 leading therefrom to an engine-driven fuel pump 4 by which the fuel is pumped through a conduit 5 to a carburetor 6 mounted on-the fuel intake 1.

able bearing l2.

tract the plunger ll and flex downwardly the It will be understood that these elements are all of the usual or any preferred type, the fuel pump, as illustrated in Fig. 2, being of the usual engine-driven type by which a constant fuel pressure is maintained as long as the engine is 5 in operation.

As here illustrated, the pump 4 comprises a body or shell 8 mounted on the sideof the engine casing 9 and having a lever ll pivoted on a suit- The upper end H of lever it is. arranged to bear on an actuating element in. the form of a slidable ram H which is preferably actuatedfrom the cam shaft of the engine in any suitable manner, so that rotation of the cam shaft causes oscillation of the lever ll against the pressure of a spring I5. A second lever I6 is also .pivoted on the bearing l2 and arranged to actuate a plunger H, the upper end of which is centrally attached to a flexible diaphragm l8. The diaphragm l8 and plunger ll are biased toward their upper positions, as illustrated, by a spring l9, and an abutment 2| is provided on the lever in position to engage the lever l I, whereby motion of the lever H in a clock-wise direction is transmitted to the lever It to thereby rediaphragm l8.

The diaphragm l8 acts as a closure for a chamber formed by a casing element 22 having an inlet connection 23 through a check valve 24. Said casing element is also provided with an outlet check valve 25 communicating with an outlet connection 26 to which the conduit 5 leading to the carburetor is attached. Operation of the pump 4 thus develops fuel pressure in the outlet 26, and since the diaphragm is [moved through its compression stroke by the spring I9, the fuel pressure corresponds to the expansive force of the spring 09.

Referring againto Fig. 1 of the drawings, an electrical starting system for. the engine is pro vided comprising a battery 21 grounded at 28 and connectedby a lead 29 to an automaticstarter control element indicated by numeral 3|. This device comprises a magnetic starting switch 32,

closure of which completes a starting circuit switch of the engine, lead 36, lead 31, solenoid 38 of the magnetic starting switch, lead 39, a fixedcontact 4i and a contact 42 mounted on a spring strip 43 which is grounded as indicated at 44 to complete the control circuit. The spring strip 43 is arranged to be bent backward to open contacts 4|, 42 by means of a lever 45 pivoted at 48, the free end of which is provided with a roller 41 arranged to engage a weight member 48 on the free end of the spring strip 43. Lever 45 is provided with a pin 49 extending laterally between a pair of flanges 5| and 52 fixed to a magnetic plunger 53 which is normally retained in its upper position by a spring 54 but is arranged to be moved downward to actuate the lever by means of a coil 55 energized from the cranking circuit through a lead 58 and grounded as indicated at 51. A generator coil 58 also grounded at 51 and connected by a lead 59 to an engine-driven generator G, is provided for retaining the plunger 53 in its lower position and thereby holding contacts 4| 42 open as long as the engine is selfoperative. A single turn coil 6| is provided in the cranking circuit for opposing the coil 55 and preventing the retraction of the plunger 53 during the cranking operation until-the coil 6| has been weakened by the release of the load on the starting motor when the engine starts.

It will be understood that the fuel pump 4 as.

0 far described is of conventional construction, and the starter control unit 3| above described is in general similar to that described and claimed in the patent to Loehr and Burdick 1,912,904, and no claim is here made of novelty with respect to these elements. a

According to the present invention, a control element indicated generally by numeral 65 is provided in the control circuit between leads 38 and 31 thereof for the purpose of opening the control circuit in response to fuel pressure built up by the fuel pump 4. Referring to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, it will be seen that this device comprises a body member 66 providing a chamber 81 and formed with an inlet element 68 adapted for threaded engagement in the casing element 22 and with an intake check valve 69. A bleeder connection H is provided for gradually dissipating the pressure in the chamber 81 after the pump has ceased to operate, the rate of flow through this connection b'eing regulated by suitable means such as a disc I2 having a suitable small opening therein. The fuel escaping through this connection is returned to the feed line 3 through a suitable conduit 13.

The chamber 61 phragm 14 carrying centrally thereof a plunger 15. A cap "is, formed to cover the diaphragm 14 and is suitably fixed to .the body as as indicated at 11. This cap carries two insulated binding posts 18 and 19. A resistor 8| is arranged to connect the binding posts "and I9 and is designed with such a value as to limit the current passing therethrough to amere holding value for the magnetic starting switch 32. This resistor is normally bridged by a pair of contacts 82 and 83 connected respectively to .the binding posts 18 and 19. In order to open these contacts in response to fuel pressure in the chamber 61, contact 82 is mounted on a spring strip 84 having an aperture 85 (Fig. 3) arranged to receive the upper end is closed by a flexible .dia-

solenoid 38 and contacts 4|, 42 to the ground at 44 whereby the starting switch 32 is closed and cranking thereby initiated. As soon as the engine starts. to turn over, the pump 4 builds up pressure in the output connection 26 in the usual manner, which pressure is communicated through undesired operation of the starting mechanism in case the generator G becomes inoperative for any reason such as by failure of the driving connection between the engine and generator, or in case of backward rotation of the engine such as might be caused by backfire or by a drifting backward of the motor vehicle when in gear. It will be readily appreciated that even a small rotation of the engine in either direction causes positive pressure to be rapidly built up in the chamber 61 whereby contacts 82, 83 are opened, thus preventing undesired actuation of the starting mechanism. As soon as rotation of the engine ceases,

however, the pressure in the chamber 61 is gradually released through the bleeder connection 1|, whereby the contacts 82, 83 are permitted to close after a predetermined time depending upon the size of the orifice inthe disc 12. If the ignition switch 35 is still closed, restarting thereupon takes place in the usual manner. Inasmuch as the viscosity of the fuel remains substantially constant at all working temperatures, it will be appreciated that the time delay so secured will be dependable and satisfactorily uniform.

Attention is called to the fact that the chamber 81 forms an air dome which tends to smooth out fluctuations in pressure caused by the actuation of the fuel pump. Some commercial forms of 89 to a magnetic starting switch 9| which in turn' is connected by a lead 92 to a starting motor SM which is grounded to complete the starting cire cuit.

A control circuit for the magnetic starting switch 9| is provided comprising a manual switch 93 which is preferably the ignition switch of the engine and is connected tery lead 89 and by a lead 95 to the solenoid 96 of the magnetic starting switch. According to the present invention, the control circuit includes two parallel ground connections, one normally closed and arranged to be opened upon initiation of engine rotation,'and the other normally open and arranged to be closed upon initiation of the cranking operation and to be reopened when the engine becomes self-operative.

The normally closed ground connection c'omprises a lead 91 and a circuit controlling devic 88.

by a lead 94 to the bat- Jul for normally closed contacts 99 and I I. Contact 99 is mounted on a spring strip I02 connected to a binding post I03 to which lead 91 is connected, and contact |0I is grounded as shown at I04.

Means for opening contacts 99, IM responsive to rotation of the engine in, either direction is provided in the form of a post I centrally mounted on a flexible diaphragm I06 and provided with a shoulder I01 arranged to engage the flexible strip- I02 and open the contacts upon upward movement of the diaphragm I06. is subjected to pressure of an engine-driven fuel pump I09 by means of a conduit I09 which connects through a suitable fitting I I I with a charm ber II2 which is closed by said diaphragm. The pressure is retained in said chamber by suitable means such as a check valve I I 3 and is dissipated a predetermined time after the engine stops by means of a bleeder connection M4, the flow through which is regulated by suitable means such as a metering screw I I5.

As here illustrated, the parallel ground connection comprises a fixed contact H6 and a contact II'I mounted on an armature I|8 normally held in retracted position by suitable means such as a spring 9. Means for closing said contacts upon initiation of the cranking operation are provided in the form of a current relay which as here shown comprises a three-quarter turn coil formed by the elements of the switch 9| when closed, and a magnetic element I2I energized by the current passing through said switch during the cranking operation tg attract the armature M8 and thus close contacts IIG, III.

In the operation of this embodiment of the invention starting with the parts in the positions illustrated, closure of the ignition switch 93 completes the control circuit through the contacts 99, ml, thus energizing solenoid 96 to close the starting switch 9| and initiate the cranking operation. As soon as the cranking starts, the heavy cranking current energizes the magnet I2| sufficiently to close contacts IIB, When the engine begins to rotate, the pressure built up by the pressure from chamber fuel pump I09 causes diaphragm I 06 to open contacts 99, MI. The starting switch 9| is maintained closed, however, by reason of the closure of contacts H6, H1.

When the engine starts, the reduction in the current traversing the starting circuit caused by the release of the cranking load weakens the magnet I 2| sufiiciently to allow the spring I I9 to open contacts H6, H1, and since contacts 99, NH have already been opened by the fuel pressure, this causes deenergization of the solenoid 96 and consequent opening of the starting switch 9|. Re starting is thereafter prevented by the fuel pressure as long as the engine is rotated and for a predetermined time interval after the engine stops,.as measured by the dissipation of the fuel 2 past the metering screw II5. It will be understood that since the fuel pump I00 operates the same for either direction of rotation of the engine, undesired actuation of the starting mechanism will be prevented in case of backward rotation of the engine as well as forward rotation thereof as previously pointed out in connection with the embodiment of the invention first described.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 5, the starting circuit, the magnetic switch and its leads are the same as in the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 4 and the parts are similarly numbered. In this embodiment of the invention, however, the lead 91 of the control circuit is con- The diaphragm I06 through normally closed contacts I24, I25. Re-

sistor I22 is normally shunted by a pair of contacts I26, I 21 which are yieldably held in engagement by a spring I28.

Means for breaking this shunt connection responsive to engine rotation are provided com- 1 prising a plunger I29 arranged to engage the end of a lever |3I carrying the contact I21. Plunger I29 is arranged to be actuated by a flexible diaphragm I32 which forms a closure for a chamber I33. Chamber I33 is connected by a conduit I34- to the engine-driven fuel pump I09, whereby pressure developed by said pump causes flexure of the diaphragm to open contacts I26, I 21.

Means are provided for opening contacts I24, I25 responsive to relatively high values of vacuum in the intake system of the engine which occur when the engine becomes self-operative. As here shown, this is accomplished by mounting contact I 25 on a pivoted lever I35, the opposite end of which is connected to-be actuated by a plunger I36 which is centrally mounted on a flexible diaphragm I37. Diaphragm I37 forms a closure for a chamber I36 which is connected by a conduit I99 to the intake manifold of the engine such as I illustrated at "I in Fig. i.

In this embodiment of the invention, means are provided for retaining the fuel pressure in chamber I33 during the operation of the engine but permitting said pressure to be relieved when the engine stops. As here shown, this is accomplished by a .by-pass valve MI in a bleeder conduit I42, which valve is controlled by the plunger I 36 in such manner that when there is no vacuum in the chamber I38 the valve MI is opened, allowing the pressure to be dissipated through the conduit I42 and an adjustable bleeder valve I43, When the plunger I36 is retracted by a vacuum in the chamber I33 the valve MI is closed, thereby preventing the escape of fuel through the bleeder conduit I42.

In the operation of this embodiment of the invention, closure of the ignition switch 93 causes full energization of the solenoid 96 since the control circuit is closed through contacts |26,|2I and contacts I2'4,|25 to the ground. The starting switch 9| is thereupon closed, causing initiation of the cranking operation. As soon as the engine begins to rotate, the fuel pump I08 builds up pressure in the chamber I33, thus opening contacts I 26, I21. Cranking is not interrupted,

however, by reason of the holding current traversing the resistance I22. When the engine becomes self-operative, the resultant increase in intake vacuum operates the diaphragm I3! to open contacts I24, I25, thus opening the control circuit and thereby allowing starting switch 9| to open. Subsequent reclosure of the contacts I24, I25 by reason of loss of vacuum in the intake, will not cause the starting switch 9| to close, however, since contacts I26, I21 are held open by the fuel pressure.

During self-operation of the engine, the valve MI is closed, thereby preventing escape of fuel through the bleeder conduit I42. When the engine stops, however, the valve |4I opens, permitting the pressure to be dissipated after a predetermined time as determined by the setting of the valve I43. when the fuel pressure in chamber I33 has been dissipated, contacts I26, I21 are reclosed, and if the ignition switch 93 is still closed, the cranking operation will be repeated. It will be understood that the pump Hill is amply capable of maintaining the fuel pressure at all times that the engine is rotating either forward or backward, irrespective of whether the bleeder passage is open or closed. The valve MI is provided merely to prevent unnecessary operation of the pump while the engine is self-operative.

Although certain embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that other embodiments are possible and that various changes may be made in the design and arrangements of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a fuel system including an enginedriven fuel pump a starting system for the engine including a magnetic starting switch, a control circuit for said starting switch including a manual switch and a resistor having such a value as to limit the current in the control circuit to a holding value for the starting switch, a set of contacts normally bridging said resistance, means responsive to pressure generated by said fuel pump for opening said contacts, and means responsive to self-operation of the engine for deenergizing said control circuit.

2. In combination with an internal combustion engine, a starting system therefor including a magnetic starting switch, a control circuit for said switch including a resistor having such a value as to limit the current through the control circuit to a, holding value for the starting switch, means for normally short-circuiting said resistor, means responsive to rotation of the engine in either direction for opening said short-clrcuiting means, and means responsive to self-operation of the engine for deenergizing said control circuit.

3. In combination with an internal combustion engine, a starting system therefor including a magnetic starting switch, a control circuit for said switch including a resistor having such a value as to limit the current through the control 45 circuit to a holding value for the starting switch,

means for normally short-circuiting said resistor, unitary means responsive to the rotation of the engine in either direction for opening said shortcircuiting means, means responsive to the selfoperation of the engine for deenergizing said control circuit, and means for preventing reclosure of the shorting means for a predetermined time after the engine stops.

4. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a fuel system including a pressure pump, a starting system, for said engine including a magnetic starting switch, a control circuit for said starting switch including a'resistor having such a value as to limit the current through the control circuit to a holding value for the magnetic starting switch, means normally short-circuiting said resistor, and means responsive to pressure generated by said fuel pump for opening said short-circuiting means.

5. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a fuel system including a pressure pump, a starting system for said engine including a magnetic starting switch, a control circuit for said starting switch including a resistor having such a value as to limit the currentthrough the control circuit to a holding value for the magnetic starting switch, means normally short-circuiting said resistor, means responsive to pressure generated by said fuel pump for opening said shortcircuiting means, and means responsive to selfoperation of the engine for breaking said control circuit.

6. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a fuel system including a pressure pump, a starting system for said engine including a magnetic starting switch, a control circuit for said starting switch including a resistor having such a value as to limit the current through the control circuit to a holding value for the magnetic starting switch, means normally short-circuiting said resistor, means responsive to pressure generated by said fuel pump for opening said short-circuiting means, means responsive to selfoperation of the engine for breaking said control circuit, and means for dissipating said fuel pressure a predetermined time after the engine stops.

'7. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a fuel system including an enginedriven fuel pump and an intake, starting mechanism for said engine including a starting switch, a control circuit for said switch including a resistor of a value to limit the current in the control circuit to a holding value for the starting switch, means normally short-circuiting said resistor, means for opening said short-circuiting means responsive to pressure generated by said fuel pump, and means for opening said control circuit responsive to vacuum in the fuel intake caused by self-operation of the engine.

-8. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a fuel system including an enginedriven fuel pump and an intake, starting mechanism for said engine including a starting switch, a nntrol circuit for said switch including a resistor of a value to limit the current in the control circuit to a holding value for the starting switch, means normally short-circuiting said resistor, means for opening said short-circuiting means responsive to pressure generated by said fuel pump, means for opening said control circuit responsive to vacuumin the fuel intake ,caused by self-operation of the engine, means for dissipating said fuel pressure a predetermined time after the engine stops, and means responsive to intake vacuum for rendering said pressure dissipating means inoperative.

PAUL I-I. MAURER. 

